And the Winner is....

[Geoff]

I planted a few Aloe barberae hybrids in the front yard in early 2008, one called Hercules and one called Goliath. I was curious to see the grow next to each other and track their growth rates. I sort of thought the Hercules would grow faster only because I have seen a lot of tall ones of these, even second generation ones, and have not seen too many of the Goliaths very tall (the Huntington has a few, unlabeled, that are about 8' tall or more, but they seem to have been there for many years). I am surprises as Aloe vaombe is a much faster grower than Aloe dichotoma. Still. First shot is of these two in November, about 6 months after the Goliath was planted and 8 months after the Hercules was. Both were in 5 gal pots and fairly small. I knew I was in trouble seeing how fast both of these had grown in just that short a time. The second shot is of them today.

By the way, the Hercules is on the left

[Geoff]

I think if you had to weigh these two Aloes, the Goliath would weigh more, as it seems to be spending all its enegry making itself incredibly top-heavy with these huge, long, fleshy, rubbery leaves. It is much more like its Aloe barberae parent than it is like vaombe. The Hercules really does not look that much like either parent, with leaves much wider and triangular than either barberae or dichotoma. It's growth rate is right on pace with Aloe barberae, though (I have one in the back yard that is taller, but was planted a year earlier).

[Peter]

Looking good Geoff; I also planted both hercules and goliath at the same time, about 3 years ago, on a pretty steep hill. They both grew very quickly, and in fact I ended up taking the goliath out after a year as it was turning into an absolute monster and I was afraid it would collapse under it's own weight, especially on the steep hill. My hercules is about 12' tall, from a 15g bought from the late Bill Baker who used to be about the only source for them before they went into tissue culture at Rancho Soledad. After the first year, I've tried not to water it at all anymore as it's also becoming a monster.

[Geoff]

your leaves look nearly as green as Aloe barberae... are they? Mine still has the blue leaves of a dichotoma (almost) and they are more triangular... is this for sure going to change as it ages? Mine still hasn't divided, and I hope it won't for another year. Sorry you had to take out the Goliath... expensive plants beneath it? Mine looks pretty top heavy, but the trunk is solid and seems to be holding. I have been removing the lowest leaves to reduce the weight some (though it probably doesn't look it). The older leaves come off nicely like Aloe barberae, but the early leaves had to be cut like Aloe vaombe.

I knew Bill Baker but not well... he lived only 1/2 mile from me. I walk by his place everyday wondering what's on the other side of that beautiful rock wall he built. Been over there?

[Luisd]

Wow, Aloe Hercules is a very nice hybrid! Aloe is a genus interesting and most grow well in mediterranean climate.

I took some pics last march in a garden cacti here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/luisdc24/AloesMarzo#

anyone know what could be the photo 14?

Edited November 11, 2010 by Luisd

[palmmermaid]

They both look really great! I have a very small Hercules. What sort of pot are they planted in? Did you use those curved edgers andturn the top row upside down? If so, did you glue them together? Whatever it is, it looks good.

[Peter]

Geoff, the leaves on hercules are a gray green-pretty much in between the parents. And I had to take out goliath as I was afraid it would collapse, roll down the hill and take every out underneath it. It already was extremely heavy, so I can only imagine it after a few years. Jeff Rood still has it in a (large) pot. And I have been to Bill Baker's place several times-he has some very nice large, old specimens. Giant Tabebuias, Chorisias, Braheas, Boojums, etc... I haven't been there since he passed, so I'm not sure what's going on at his place.

[The Germinator]

Anyone growing African Aloe like down at the Catamaran Hotel in San Diego?